If you've never had to pierce your child's flesh.If you've never entered your child's bedroom with baited breath, waiting to know they are alive before you exhale.

If you have - but know that that possibility is remote and highly unlikely.

If you don't see your child's blood every single day.If you can feed your child without thinking twice.

If you don't have to count every morsel that goes into their mouths.

If you can send your child to school without any extra care, notification, preparation.If you can let your child go off to play at a friends house with any added stress or explanation or directions.

If you can sleep for more than 3 hours at a time.

If the medicine cabinet on your bathroom is still functioning and has just about enough room.

If you don't have a sharps container in your house.

If your pharmacy does not know you well enough to call you by first name.

If you don't have to BEG your insurance company to give you enough supplies to keep your child healthy.

If you don't visit a hospital every 3 months.

If you don't worry when your child falls down when playing or falls asleep in the car that he or she is actually passed out from a hypoglycemic episode.

If you don't carry around an enormous amount of medical supplies every where you go.

If you don't know what normal blood sugar is.

If your life has never been divided into before and after.

If you never spent a week in the hospital learning to keep your child alive.

If you don't fear a simple cold or a 24 hour stomach bug. If you'd never even imagine that it could land you in the ER.

If you don't have to FIGHT so that your child can be like everyone else.

If you don't know what insulin smells like.

If you don't know how to fill a syringe.

If you don't juggle carb counts, carb rations, ISF's, and IOB information at the same time.

If you have no idea what any of that means.

If you've never had to hold your child down to give her a shot. Multiple times a day. Every day. If you've never listened to your child cry and scream, "NO! Mommy, Don't hurt me."

If you've never had to answer your child when she asked, "Why me? Why am I different? Will it ever go away?"

If you don't stare death in the face every day.

If you don't really know anything about Type 1 diabetes.

Do you know how lucky you are? Do you know how much you take for granted every day? Do you know how much easier life is without diabetes?

Do you?

Before April 27, 2009 - I didn't. I had no idea. I had no idea how lucky I was.

I had no idea how easy meal times were. I had no idea how simple it was to get my child a glass of juice or milk. I had no idea what a "bad cold" or "illness" was REALLY like. I didn't know anything about carbs. Or insurance. Or needles. Playing, dancing, going to school... it was all so easy.

I had no idea. I took so much for granted.

But now....

Now I'm on the other side.

And do you know how lucky I am?I know how to fill a syringe.

I know how to give a shot and insert a cannula.

I know how to count carbs and calculate insulin doses.

I have insulin to give my child.

I have a pharmacy staff that is caring and kind.

I have a top rate children's hospital to treat my child.

I have a closer family.

I have deeper relationships.

I have enough supplies to keep my child alive and healthy.

I have been humbled by something bigger than me.

I have a school and teachers who love my child and care for her like she's their own.

I have learned to ask for help.

I have learned that I can't do it all.

I have learned to cherish the good days.

I have learned to enjoy the moment.

I have learned how fragile life is.I have learned how strong I really am.

If you've never had to pierce your child's flesh.If you've never entered your child's bedroom with baited breath, waiting to know they are alive before you exhale.

If you have - but know that that possibility is remote and highly unlikely.

If you don't see your child's blood every single day.If you can feed your child without thinking twice.

If you don't have to count every morsel that goes into their mouths.

If you can send your child to school without any extra care, notification, preparation.If you can let your child go off to play at a friends house with any added stress or explanation or directions.

If you can sleep for more than 3 hours at a time.

If the medicine cabinet on your bathroom is still functioning and has just about enough room.

If you don't have a sharps container in your house.

If your pharmacy does not know you well enough to call you by first name.

If you don't have to BEG your insurance company to give you enough supplies to keep your child healthy.

If you don't visit a hospital every 3 months.

If you don't worry when your child falls down when playing or falls asleep in the car that he or she is actually passed out from a hypoglycemic episode.

If you don't carry around an enormous amount of medical supplies every where you go.

If you don't know what normal blood sugar is.

If your life has never been divided into before and after.

If you never spent a week in the hospital learning to keep your child alive.

If you don't fear a simple cold or a 24 hour stomach bug. If you'd never even imagine that it could land you in the ER.

If you don't have to FIGHT so that your child can be like everyone else.

If you don't know what insulin smells like.

If you don't know how to fill a syringe.

If you don't juggle carb counts, carb rations, ISF's, and IOB information at the same time.

If you have no idea what any of that means.

If you've never had to hold your child down to give her a shot. Multiple times a day. Every day. If you've never listened to your child cry and scream, "NO! Mommy, Don't hurt me."

If you've never had to answer your child when she asked, "Why me? Why am I different? Will it ever go away?"

If you don't stare death in the face every day.

If you don't really know anything about Type 1 diabetes.

Do you know how lucky you are? Do you know how much you take for granted every day? Do you know how much easier life is without diabetes?

Do you?

Before April 27, 2009 - I didn't. I had no idea. I had no idea how lucky I was.

I had no idea how easy meal times were. I had no idea how simple it was to get my child a glass of juice or milk. I had no idea what a "bad cold" or "illness" was REALLY like. I didn't know anything about carbs. Or insurance. Or needles. Playing, dancing, going to school... it was all so easy.

I had no idea. I took so much for granted.

But now....

Now I'm on the other side.

And do you know how lucky I am?I know how to fill a syringe.

I know how to give a shot and insert a cannula.

I know how to count carbs and calculate insulin doses.

I have insulin to give my child.

I have a pharmacy staff that is caring and kind.

I have a top rate children's hospital to treat my child.

I have a closer family.

I have deeper relationships.

I have enough supplies to keep my child alive and healthy.

I have been humbled by something bigger than me.

I have a school and teachers who love my child and care for her like she's their own.

I have learned to ask for help.

I have learned that I can't do it all.

I have learned to cherish the good days.

I have learned to enjoy the moment.

I have learned how fragile life is.I have learned how strong I really am.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Maybe I was too quick to call this blog "Three for Today"...because our "Three" has become "Four" and today it has become the reality of its occurence. Last Monday we took the phone call of Emily being positive for the GAD65 antibody. So, knowing that she would have the repeat blood test on the 13th I went ahead and had her A1c checked yesterday. Thinking I would have the results by Friday and ready for Vandy on the 13th. Well, the results came in today at a bit of a surprise. Her A1c is elevated but caught at a good time. It is higher than Jesse and Elizabeth's but not too terribly high. The consult was sent to Vanderbilt (hopefully they got it done today) and I picked up doctor's orders for Emily to start testing her blood sugar throughout the day in order to get a good look as to what is going on with her numbers. Stopped at Kroger to pick up 3 cases of capri-suns and 3 packages of pb crackers for low blood sugars. Delivered to the school. Educated Emily on how to do diabetes at school and let the nurse know what we needed to do. Then I headed down to the department of human services. I know that to get on the children's special services program I must first be denied state health insurance for the kids. So I went and picked up the paperwork to get this started. This program will help us with the kids deductibles and copays. Hoping it won't be too long that the process goes quicker.

But for today will somebody find me a big rock and keep me hidden for just a little bit?

Maybe I was too quick to call this blog "Three for Today"...because our "Three" has become "Four" and today it has become the reality of its occurence. Last Monday we took the phone call of Emily being positive for the GAD65 antibody. So, knowing that she would have the repeat blood test on the 13th I went ahead and had her A1c checked yesterday. Thinking I would have the results by Friday and ready for Vandy on the 13th. Well, the results came in today at a bit of a surprise. Her A1c is elevated but caught at a good time. It is higher than Jesse and Elizabeth's but not too terribly high. The consult was sent to Vanderbilt (hopefully they got it done today) and I picked up doctor's orders for Emily to start testing her blood sugar throughout the day in order to get a good look as to what is going on with her numbers. Stopped at Kroger to pick up 3 cases of capri-suns and 3 packages of pb crackers for low blood sugars. Delivered to the school. Educated Emily on how to do diabetes at school and let the nurse know what we needed to do. Then I headed down to the department of human services. I know that to get on the children's special services program I must first be denied state health insurance for the kids. So I went and picked up the paperwork to get this started. This program will help us with the kids deductibles and copays. Hoping it won't be too long that the process goes quicker.

But for today will somebody find me a big rock and keep me hidden for just a little bit?

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Middle TN ADA's Tour de Cure kick-off is tomorrow night at the Blackstone Brewery in Nashville! Our family has been invited to participate in the event since the kids are the youth ambassadors! Today I received a call from Greg asking if either I or Judge would mind talking about the kids and the diabetes in our home. I said, "Sure HE will!!" LOL I can talk but would rather not talk in front of big crowds! I let him know of the new development in our brood with Emily testing positive for the GAD65. I thought it may be appropriate to add that in for Judge's "speech" and be able to touch base on how important diabetes research is to not only our family but to others as well. The monies it will take to fundraise for our Tour de Cure in order to aid in that research endeavor.

The Middle TN ADA's Tour de Cure kick-off is tomorrow night at the Blackstone Brewery in Nashville! Our family has been invited to participate in the event since the kids are the youth ambassadors! Today I received a call from Greg asking if either I or Judge would mind talking about the kids and the diabetes in our home. I said, "Sure HE will!!" LOL I can talk but would rather not talk in front of big crowds! I let him know of the new development in our brood with Emily testing positive for the GAD65. I thought it may be appropriate to add that in for Judge's "speech" and be able to touch base on how important diabetes research is to not only our family but to others as well. The monies it will take to fundraise for our Tour de Cure in order to aid in that research endeavor.

Upon suggestion from a friend, I told Jacob that we would begin reading the Percy Jackson series of books. Do you know what he told me? Oh yeah, I have already read 2 of them. Ok so he has read a couple of the books in the series. What will it hurt to read them over? Now I think I want to read it with him...That way I can keep up and be able to ask him questions about the chapters.

Not only will we be starting book one today we are also working on fractions review and watching a weather video (its from the eyewitness series) and working through a weather unit study.